By Starrys Obazei | February 18, 2023
starrys@ddnewsonline.com
Contrary to expectations of Nigerians that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret’d) would say something positive during his Thursday, February 16 national broadcast, in compliance with the Supreme Court order giving legality to old naira notes, all hopes for alleviating Nigerians’ suffering simply petered out.
Many people are still shocked and confused about the President’s stance in the face of untold hardship forced down on Nigerians by naira redesign and cash swap policy.
And despite the ongoing confusion chaos, protest, violence and hopelessness
shaking the country after the naira swap deadline of February 10, the Father of the Nigerian family, seems uncaring that his house is on fire.
It is unnatural for a father to watch his children perish in fire when he can rescue them.
Why then is Buhari watching Nigerians dying in the fire he ignited with his political naira policy, when he can quickly extinguish the fire by simply complying with the Supreme Court order on the use of old naira notes?
Why is the President intrasigent to the advice of international bodies – United Nations, UN, International Monetary Fund, IMF, and World Bank – on reducing the cash crunch pains by using old naira notes along with the scarce new notes?
Why? Why? Why?
Only the President can answer the why but he has not spoken and may never speak on this matter..
An Abuja-based analyst, journalist and lawyer, who craved for anonymity, in an investigation by ddnewsonline.com, says that Buhari appears impassive to the suffering of the people.
The analyst opens up: “Buhari is acting this way because of what he knows about the damage that would be done if the old N500 and N1000 notes are legally allowed to remain in circulation.
“Buhari has fears that either Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu or Atiku Abubakar can win the presidential election with their billions spent on vote-buying.”
“In short, all billionaire presidential candidates, especially Peter Obi and Kwankwaso, are also suspects in this vote-buying.”
He revealed that “the joy of the President is to see a better candidate win without vote-buying.
“And from Buhari’s politicking experience since 2007, winning election in Nigeria means spending much money to curry the favour of the electorate.
“Nigerians may not see the future of Buhari’s stance against old naira notes; he strongly believes that history would remember his electoral legacy for good.”
“And he wants to bequeath this legacy on future generations. Whatever the pains people suffer now do not affect his thick skin.”